Stacey’s Comments (group member since Oct 31, 2019)

Stacey’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

Great job with Round 1 Team! We read 72 books of a predicted 68 (74 max before penalty) and had all the bonus points for 'wheel'. Every member contributed and helped us get here. While we came in 5th place out of 13, we are only 190 points behind first place and over 400 pts from last place.

Thanks everyone! Happy reading, and hope everyone stays well.

Tammie wrote: "Cordelia wrote: "I'm not going to put it in the spreadsheet in case someone has a longer book, but I finished a 368 page book for W here"

I added it. We still have room for 3 more completions"

Probably 4. I probably can't finish Fuzz. I'm close but I am a bit busy the next 2 days. I'll probably finish just after the deadline, which is fine since it fits humor. I've also made my predicted without it so, while I feel bad I don't feel too bad.

bamaace83 wrote: "Thanks for fixing me yesterday. I have some slowwwww complimentary internet at this hotel so I'm going through and checking things really quick before we head out for some fun. I already know that ..."

Have fun!

Rosina wrote: "Hi
I posted 2 more books to Round 1, so we finished another word. I am over by 1 book for this round but I think that is ok.

I will go look for books for round 2."

That is fine. We have some room plus a few people may be under predicted. It will all balance out. Thanks!

I'll be close on my one book, I am tempted to hold off on finishing it since it is MPG Humor, but I should be able to get it finished. I've been reading a lot of horror/thriller. I could use more humor.

Two things: First, I've updated the spreadsheet with all of our current books. We have 48 books read with 20 projected. We can go up to about 74 without penalty.

Second: The second round info has been posted for those that want to look ahead!

Right now we need T, R, and E to finish the next word. These should be easy, but I don't want to move books from harder letters yet, plus if everyone finishes what they said we will be ok.

If you want to add more books to the spreadsheet, go ahead. I won't let use get a penalty. We have a few lower point books on the list and if we have too many books, I can always look at switching some out to get us the most points.

Quick update on where we are: 1436 points total, with 38 books read (1 BOM)

I didn't move all of the books as we can only have 1 unfinished word. We currently have 2 words finished and are 4 books away from finishing the 2nd. I'll move more when we finish this. I may have to rearrange a little bit, but it should be close. We also have Tammie's BOM points, including her points for DQs once she finishes.

Just a reminder that the first round end on October 23rd. I'm sure we will have a countdown clock soon. I'm going to start updating the team spreadsheet soon.

Please let us know if you won't be able to finish a book on time so that we can plan and move things around if needed. Happy reading!

DAY 4 - CHAPTERS 15-19

13. Getting closer to the end now where all will be revealed. Does the character of Agnes Young and hearing the story of Tyler's near drowning shed any more light on the sister's story?
I mean, it definitely seems like there is an in between spot. Maybe they are somewhat related.

14. I enjoyed reading the research Iris did into the masked man. Who do you think he is and what is his agenda regarding the three sisters?
That was fun to learn more about the possible myths. I like the idea that he is there to bring them back and shepherd them to the afterlife.

15. "Outside Edinburgh was steeped in predawn darkness. We headed toward Saint Giles' Cathedral...We walked, shivering through the Old Town's warren of narrow lanes.."
" The ruins of the chapel sat on a squat hill overlooking a small loch in Holyrood Park... The ruins were two stories tall; only the corner of the chapel remained now the walls tendered in rough stone in some century long passed. "
How does the setting in Edinburgh's Old Town contribute to the spookiness of the tale? Would the story work equally as well in a more modern city or urbanised area?
To work you need an old door that doesn't go anywhere anymore. So, an old town work. If you've ever been in some of the old run down areas of a city, I think there are places this could work as well and that could be spooky. Maybe not as gothic, but there are probably some of these as well. The more modern, the less likely but every city has an area that could work.

16. Finally Iris and Tyler make a break through entering the strange place through the doorway.
"The Halfway.
It's putrid. It's a slowly rotting canker somewhere between the realms of life and death."
Your first impressions of this place? Is the story following the path you expected and how does the language contribute to your feelings of The Halfway and what happens there?
I'm a bit over the rotting stink. I kind of understand it but it seems overdone. I think for me the imagery would be scarier than the smells. That seems just gross, not necessarily scary. It seems more strange than scary.

Jhmingos wrote: "Since I do a lot of reading challenges, I h..."

That's great! I have started shelves for color, but not for letters. I'll have to check it out, and maybe others.

Day 3: Chapters 11-15

9.Let’s talk about Cate. What could Grey have possibly said to her to make a mother hate her child? (If she is her child.) What do you think of Cate and Iris’ relationship?

I find it odd that both Cate and her husband refused to let the girls call them anything but by their first names. I think Grey might have threatened her, or told her she caused their father to kill himself. Cate clearly doesn't think of Grey as her daughter, and isn't sure of the other 2.

10. What do you think causes the sisters to have the power of suggestion, or the power of the kiss, or whatever you call it?
Got me. It seems to be something to do with where the went when the disappeared.

11. How do you feel about Grey's actions in the hospital and during the escape?
Well, given the flowers that came out of all the dead people, maybe she wasn't insane. That whole scene has me very confused.

12. The girl says “It is in me…In her…In you.” What is in them? And, may I say, yuck. This story seems very myth-laden. Has anyone recognized the myth yet, or do you think this is an original one? Are you enjoying the story so far? (Is anyone else having a flashback to the creepy video in season one of True Detective, or is it just me?)
I don't know the myth, but I agree it has that feel. The crack in the sofa is an interesting comparison. Not familiar with True Detective and it doesn't remind me of anything.

And, just out of curiosity, has anyone done a Google search on the flowers yet?

Not yet, but I probably will. Guessing you already have!

Cordelia wrote: "This is a stupid question but how many books did I say I'd read again per week?

I also have a few extra books I can add, I'll go ahead and do that and then you can leave off some of the shorter on..."

No problem. You signed up for 16 books per month, so about 4 per week. It's on the member info tab on the spreadsheet if you forget or aren't sure where you are at. Remember each round is 2 weeks.

We can go over by 10%, and we can always decide to leave smaller ones off if it looks like we will go over.

Day 2: Chapters 6-10

5. Grey leaves her sisters a note that reveals the creepy guy is really a very bad person...that she's in peril. She provides a key and sends them to a super creepy apartment...'The missing sister, the dead body, the burned apartment, the gunshot wound, the armful of stolen artifacts. Even harder: the man in the skull, the flowers growing rampant in all the soft parts of a corpse.' What is your conclusion so far?

Definitely something 'other worldly' happening. I think they found a door to another place. Still have way too many questions. The flower thing is really odd and different too.

6. Vivi and Iris find a diary from their father...his notes supporting the Vogue article with all kinds of rumors about the girls. What do you think about their father? Was he crazy? Are his girls dead?

This is the big question, isn't it? The girls aren't the same for sure and after what happens with Vivi's wound, you have to question. Not sure what to believe. I do think it is possible that Grey remembers and won't say anything.

7. What is with the flowers and vegetation found in the girls and around the girls? This organic, smelly stuff keeps showing up? What do you think is behind it?

This other world definitely seems earthy.

8. Tyler shows up at the end of this section of our reading. There's an article referenced with mention of a disappearance. Someone else came back. What do you think is next? What will Tyler's role be...hero, bad guy, or is his appearance a cameo/distraction?

Well, Tyler is about to be arrested so I think he has a definite reason to try and find Grey. I think he will continue. Not sure if he will be a hero, but I don't expect him to be a bad guy. I do think that the roommates disappearance and return is related to Greys. She has been trying to find 'doors'.

I've already read The Only Good Indians, and I think it was too recent to reread. It was interesting, not sure I'd be up for rereading though. It's a bit heavy. I'm intrigued by the second. I'm not a huge fan of YA (although I have read a few really good) but anything with libraries or bookstores tends to suck me in.

Day 1 - prologue - Chapter 5

1. What sort of stuff do you like in your horror books? Do you like the slow pacing here?

I like good characters in all my books. I like to be surprised and maybe a little scared (or at least concerned for the characters). I'm enjoying this more than I expected. It is slow, but it makes you want to know what happened in the 'unknown time'

2. What do you think of the sister's and their relationship with each other?
There is definitely a connection between the 3 of them. They all went through something strange and it bonded them (or maybe more?) I also like that they are each unique.

3. We are getting hints about the strangeness around the Hollow girls, and at what happened to them. What are your suspicions? Would you be like Cate with her daughters, and not push at the memories overtly or dig actively?
Witches? Or some other mystical beings? I'd probably dig because I would want to know (though I might not if a professional told me it would be harmful). I suspect Cate knows much more than she is letting on.

4. The descriptions (of Grey's clothing in particular!) is very atmospheric. Are you enjoying the descriptive language used?
Yes, and no. I like it overall, but sometimes it is a bit much. It also makes me wonder if the sisters experience things differently than others (for example with the perfume) or if people are just gullible. Maybe both?

I'll volunteer for Phil

Loved Fledgling! I mean, vampires and genetic engineering - what more could you want? (From an author who can pull it off)

Welcome Snowtulip! Glad to have you as part of the team.

Tammie, I'll have to add that book to my TBR list. That is the good/bad of these challenges. I find so many new books to read that my TBR list gets too long.

I finished one of my two books, so I can actually start something on time! (I'm almost always reading 1 print book and 1 audiobook)